PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania men's lacrosse team got a much-needed win on Saturday, knocking off #14/13 Harvard at Franklin Field, 11-8.
 
Penn never led in the first half and was down at halftime, 4-3. However, the Quakers exploded for four goals in a span of 3:26 early in the third quarter and never looked back. Penn outscored Harvard 5-0 in the third, outshooting the Crimson 15-3, then had an answer every time the visitors made it a three-goal game in the final 15 minutes.
 
Penn snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 5-4 overall, 2-3 in the Ivy League. Harvard lost its second in a row and fell to 7-3 overall; the Crimson are now 2-2 in Ivy play.
 
Quaker Notemeal
*This was Penn's eighth win in a row over the Crimson and leveled the all-time series at 44-44 with two ties.
 
*Patrick Burkinshaw was magnificent in goal on Saturday, making a career-high 20 saves while allowing just eight goals. He has 37 saves in Penn's last two games.
 
*At the offensive end, senior Sam Handley scored four goals and added an assist for five points. He now has 30 points in five Ivy League games.
 
*Senior Dylan Gergar scored three goals and had an assist on Saturday. It was his second straight hat trick and his fifth this season.
 
*Gabe Furey scored twice on Saturday, his second multi-goal game in Ivy play this season.
 
*Penn's other goal scorers were Kaleb Fernandez and Peter Blake, a long pole who tallied his first collegiate goal.
 
*Cam Rubin and James Shipley were held scoreless on Saturday but they both had two assists, while Ben Bedard also had an assist.
 
*On the faceoff X, Jamie Zusi had another massive day as he won 18 of 22 draws including a perfect 5-of-5 in the third quarter when Penn outscored Harvard 5-0.
 
How It Happened
Harvard used a lengthy possession to open Saturday's scoring, but Furey quickly got it back with a shot from distance. The Crimson then got a long-pole goal from Greg Campisi in transition, but Penn again answered as Handley stepped into a shot up top in a man-up situation. Harvard got an EMO opportunity late in the first and took little time to convert, Owen Gaffney giving the visitors a 3-2 lead after one.
 
Nearly 10 minutes went off the clock in the second quarter before anyone scored. The Quakers had two extra-man opportunities but went scoreless in both, then Harvard doubled its advantage when Andrew Perry rocketed home a shot from the right side. Handley got one of those back late in the stanza, and the teams went to the locker room with the Crimson up, 4-3.
 
Penn started fast in the third, scoring four goals in a 3:26 span to take its first lead of the day. Gergar got the run started on an extra-man opportunity, and then after Furey gave the Quakers a 5-4 lead Gergar got his second in the run when he finished a rebound after after his initial shot was saved. Fernandez then quick-sticked a Bedard feed in front. At that point Harvard took timeout and Franklin Field—fueled by the alumni tent on the south side of the field—was in full throat.
 
The Quakers kept momentum after the timeout, and Gergar completed his hat trick with a rocket shot that finished a nice cross-field feed by Shipley. In all, Penn outshot Harvard 15-3 in the third and it was an 8-4 Quakers lead entering the final quarter.
 
Harvard opened up the fourth-quarter scoring, ending a goalless streak of 21:48, but Handley completed his hat trick shortly afterward in an extra-man opportunity. The Crimson got back within three, but immediately off the faceoff Handley scooped a transition ground ball and netted his fourth of the day to make it 10-6. Harvard scored again after that, but then Blake stunned everyone when he broke the Crimson's 10-man ride with a goal from nearly 70 yards away. It was his first collegiate goal and Harvard took another timeout.
 
Harvard scored one more time after the stoppage, but it was not enough as the Quakers shut their guests down from there.
 
Up Next
Penn concludes the Ivy League portion of its 2022 schedule next Saturday at Dartmouth, facing off with the Big Green at 3:30 p.m.